In various applications, the connector industry confronts enhanced requirements for exact and assured electrical mating of connector contacts. One such application is in the electrical circuitry associated with automobile air bags, where misconnection can give rise to manifest difficulty. In seeking to meet the requirements, the industry has adopted an approach called "connection position assurance" (CPA), wherein a CPA component additional to the electrical connection structure is provided and is configured jointly with connector structure so as to provide indication assuring that there is exact electrical mating of connector contacts.
Typically, the CPA component is so configured that it is not insertable into the connector assembly unless the connector header and socket thereof are so engaged as to provide exact electrical mating of connector contacts.
Examples of known CPA components are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,423, U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,017, U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,058, U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,236, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,719, U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,834 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,944. Such known CPA components are seen as unduly complex in configuration.